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Was just listening to the news media saying that the water in Louisiana is full of gas and oil from cars, human waste, toxins, and...............refrigerant from all of the refrigerators and freezer that were in the houses. Well hell what about all the window units and split systems? Hell from what they know I was thinking we should all go down there and tell them we will reclaim the refrigerant from the water and put it in 55 gallon barrels for a smll fee being their throwing money at every other dumb idea. Oh well I guess it gives the news something scrry to report, wether it is true or not. They have no clue as to what holds the refrigerant in the system or if it mixes with water. Im supprised their not claiming that everyone will have lung problems from the refrigerant coming out when the split systems floated away. Oh they probably think itts leaked into the water too. sheeeez

Government tests confirmed that the floodwaters are thick with sewage-related bacteria in amounts at least 10 times higher than acceptable safety limits. The muck is believed to contain E. coli, certain viruses and a type of cholera-like bacteria.

"If you haven't left the city yet, you must do so," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She urged anyone coming into contact with the water to scrub up with soap and water.

The danger of infection was not limited to the New Orleans area. The bacteria are feared to have migrated to crowded shelters outside the state, where many evacuees are staying. Four deaths _ one in Texas, three in Mississippi _ have been attributed to infected wounds, said Tom Skinner, spokesman for the CDC.

Bob Johannessen, spokesman for the state Department of Health and Hospitals, said officials have 25,000 body bags on hand in Louisiana. Asked if authorities expected that many bodies, he said: "We don't know what to expect."

Up here we got a lake called Lake Mille Lacs that is about the size of Lake Pontchartrain. Loaded with fish of all kinds.

I can't imagine draining a volume of water out of it like flooded NO, letting it sit and absorb gas, chemicals, sewage, and a host of other things including rotting bodies. Also, it gets deprived of oxygen from decaying plants and animals. Then pump it back into the lake after repairing the levees and thinking nothing will change.

I haven't heard about refrigerant in the water. Where did you hear this? Sealed systems wouldn't stay sealed very long if the house was demolished, but flooded? I would think most of the NO problems with the water don't involve R22. Decay yes, and oil byproducts, and all the food that was in houses and stores. It boggles the mind to think of what could be in that water.